"الإجراءات الإيطالية على الساحل الأفريقي المُطل على البحر الأحمر" [ظ‎‎٢‎٩] (٣٢/١٠)

10
calling attention to reports which had been re
ceived of recent proceedings there, which were of a
nature to affect the sovereign prerogatives of the
Egyptian Government, which were clearly esta
blished by formal firmans, and requesting explana
tions. The Note added that if the Rubattino Com-
pany desired to establish a commercial station or
coal depot at Assab, nothing would have been easier
than to apply to the Khedive’s Government, which
was always ready to promote the development of
commerce and navigation.
This communication drew a Despatch from
M. Cairoli to M. de Martino (17th May 1880), of
identical tenour with that to Sir A. Paget of
19th April 1880.* The same historical “ Memoire ” * Memorandum, 14th May 1880, p. 31.
was appended to it, and the same conclusions were
drawn from the same references to the Abyssinian
Blue Book, viz., that sovereignty over the part of
the coast in question had never been exercised by
the Porte or Egypt, but had continued vested in
the local Sultans", and, so far as Assab was con
cerned, had passed, first, to the Rubattino Com
pany with the territory purchased, and so to the
Italian Government. The old protestations of the
purely commercial objects of the establishment were
renewed t t From Foreign Office, 22nd June 1880
No. 463.
A copy of Signor Cairoli’s Despatch and its
annexures was given to the Egyptian Government,
and was communicated by it to Mr. Malet, the British
Agent and Consul General, who, writing to Lord
Granville (1st June 1880, No. 222), observed:—
“ The present Despatch from Signor Cairoli
“ appears to have for its general object to prolong
“ the discussion as to the rights of Egypt over the
“ territory indefinitely, to pursue the designs wdrich
“ led to the occupation, and to prevent the
« Egyptians from taking any active measures of
“ interference. Nor is there, I fear, much chance
“ of this policy being frustrated. The Egyptians
“ are weak and vacillating in opposing a great
“ Power, and they are not likely to take measures
“ which would lead them into difficulties with
“ Italy unless they have a positive assurance that,
<f if necessary, they will receive more than our
“ moral support.”
In a letter from the Eoreign Office, dated the
18th June 1880,J Lord Hartington’s opinion was t Home; No. 454.
asked as to the answer which should be returned to
General Menebrea’s Note of May, attention being
called to the fact that “notwithstanding the re-
•“ peated assurances and protestations made to Sir
“ A. Paget by the Italian Minister for Eoreign
“ Affairs in regard to the apprehended intention of
“ Italy to lay claim to, or to acquire, territory in
“ this quarter, the Italian Government now main-
“ tained, as a consequence of Signor Rubattino’s
“ acquisition in Assab Bay, that the right of sove-
“ reignty of the local Sultan of the district, what-
“ ever it may have amounted to, had naturally